Spring biased valve



March 18, 1969 c. J. COOK 3,433,455

SPRING BIASED VALVE Filed Sept. 15, 1967 INVENTOR CHA RLES J. COOKATTORNEY United States Patent 3,433,455 SPRING BIASED VALVE Charles J.Cook, Newaygo, Mich., assignor to Clark Equipment Company, a corporationof Delaware Filed Sept. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 668,093 US. Cl. 251-321 3Claims Int. Cl. F161; 15/18, 1/32 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valvehaving a closure member with a portion thereof normally passed against aseat member, the seat member having a circular opening through which aprojection on the closure member projects and provides a seal with theedge of the circular opening in the valve closed position. A retainermember is secured to the seat member and a spring is located between theretainer member and the closure member to hold the latter normally inclosed or sealing position.

Background of the invention The present invention was conceivedparticularly with a view to its use in the material moving method anddevice disclosed and claimed in application Ser. No. 649,560 of Cyril B.Rogers which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.However, it is not limited to such use but it is useful also in otherapplications as will be apparent from the description of the inventionwhich follows hereafter.

Summary of the invention A valve comprising a seat member having anopening therethrough and a retainer secured to one side of the seatmember. A closure member is positioned between the seat member andretainer member, with the closure member having a portion thereonprojecting through the opening in the seat member and sealingly engagingthe edge of the opening in the valve closed position. The closure memberalso normally abuts the seat member in another location, and a spring islocated between the retainer member and the closure member normally tohold the closure member in the valve closed position.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 shows a cross-sectional viewof a valve embodying the present invention, in the closed position; and

FIGURE 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the same valve in the openposition.

Description of the preferred embodimebit In the drawing the numeralindicates generally a valve in accordance with the present invention.The numeral 11 indicates a fiat member which may be referred to as theseat member. As best seen in FIG. 2, the member 11 has a circularopening 12 therein.

The valve 10 also includes a closure member indicated by the numeral 14which is circular in configuration. As shown in the drawing, closuremember 14 has outer edge portion 16 which normally abuts the bottomsurface 17 of member 11 in the valve closed position of FIG. 1. Edgeportion 16 includes a reverse cunve, i.e., a portion which curvesupwardly, and then outwardly thereof is another curved portion 19 withthe center of the radius of curvature below the closure member 14.Member 14 also has an upwardly projecting central dome portion 18 whichin the valve closed position of FIG. 1 engages the edge 12 of theopening in member 11 in sealing relation to prevent the passage of the'ice medium being controlled by the valve from one side of member 11 tothe other. In the form illustrated, closure member 14 also includes aplurality of openings 20, the function of which is describedhereinafter.

Secured to the bottom surface of member 11, in the position illustratedin the figures of the drawing, is a circular retainer member 22.Belleville spring 24, which is a flat spring of known type, ispositioned between retainer member 22 and closure member 14 in themanner shown. As is known, a Belleville spring tends to resist beingpressed into a completely planar position, therefore, the spring 24urges the closure member 14 from the position of FIG. 2 toward theposition of BIG. 1.

In the position of FIG. 1 the valve 10 is closed. To open the valvepressure is applied along the line indicated by the arrow 26 in FIG. 2on the projecting portion 18 of the closure member. This forces theclosure member 14 away from edge 12 of the seat member 11. Then, ifthere is air or other fluid under pressure below the valve in the spaceindicated generally by the numeral 28 it flows along the path indicatedby the dashed lines 30 through the opening 23 in the retainer member 22,through openings 20* in the closure member, and between projectingportion 18 and edge 12, and thus to the space above the valve indicatedgenerally by the numeral 32. When pressure is removed from theprojecting portion 18 of the closure member, spring 24 restores it tothe position of FIG. 1 and closes the valve, thereby cutting off theflow of air or other fluid.

As indicated previously the valve disclosed herein is particularlyadaptable for use in the material moving method and device ofapplication Ser. No. 649,560. All parts of the present valve includingthe Belleville spring can be made of nylon or other comparable flexiblematerial and such valves according to this invention can be used in thematerial moving method and device of the said application iveryadavntageously because the valves will in effect roll up or otherwiseundergo compaction along with the remainder of the device disclosed andclaimed therein, but yet perform the necessary check valve function whenthe device is operating for the movement of material utilizing an airfilm as a lubricant on the upper surface of the device.

However, the present invention is not limited to the use of flexiblecomponents. All of the parts may be of metal if desired and relativelynon-flexible, except, of course, the Belleville spring must have thenecessary resiliency characteristics to cause the operation of the valvein the manner previously described.

\ I claim:

1. A valve comprising a flat seat member having a circular openingtherethrough, a circular closure member having a central projectingportion thereon sealingly engaging the edge of the said opening in thevalve closed position, an outer portion of the said closure member alsoabutting one surface of the said seat member in the said valve closedposition, the said closure member having at least one openingtherethrough between the said central projecting portion and the saidouter por ion, a retainer member secured to the said one surface of thesaid seat member, the said retainer member having at least one openingtherethrough, and a spring between the said retainer member and the saidclosure member normally holding the latter in the valve closed position,the said openings in the retainer member and closure member allowing theflow of fluid through the valve when the said projecting portion of theclosure member is pushed away from the said seat member to the valveopen position.

2. A valve as specified in claim 1 in-which all the 2,311,971 2/1943Shaw 137-543.17' X parts thereof are made of flexible material.2,681,752 6/1954 Jarrett 251320X 3. A val've as specified in claim 1 inwhich all the 3,244,195 5/1966 Wanner 137-543.l7 parts thereof are madeof nylon.

5 FOREIGN PATENTS References clted 588,004 5/1947 Great Britain.

PATEN UNITED STATES Ts ARNOLD ROS ENTHALL, Primary Examiner. 1,784,82212/1930 Crowley 137-540X 1,959,644 5/1934 Richardson 137-54317 X 10 US.Cl. X.R.

1,993,567 3/1935 Richardson 137-54317 X 251333, 339

